• Vienna marathon winner Robert Chemosin plans to invest his prize money to expand his farm in Kenya

Robert Chemosin could hardly have made a more fitting statement with regard to this year’s motto of the Vienna City Marathon: Theatre of Emotions. Asked about the significance of his victory the 27 year-old said that „this marks the beginning of a new life for me“. In blustering winds the Kenyan took the Vienna City Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, with 2:09:48 on Sunday.

In times with much tighter security one could wonder about a new safety concept for the race when during Friday’s elite race press conference three of the four men on stage said that they are employed by the police. The one athlete not a policeman was Robert Chemosin. The farmer left behind the policemen when it mattered on Sunday. Asked about what he is planning to do with the prize money of 15,000 Euros he won in Vienna the Kenyan answered: „The farm is a family business and I plan to expand it.“

Robert Chemosin also plans to develop his road running career further. Competing internationally since 2012 the 27 year-old has only run his third marathon in Vienna. A year ago he was second in his debut in Warsaw, finishing just eight seconds behind Ethiopia’s winner Hayle Lemi. With 2:08:05 he ran a great debut time which remains his personal best. „It was raining in this race. In better conditions I would have been faster,“ said Robert Chemosin. He ran his next marathon in Toronto in October, where he finished fourth with 2:09:38. „I was not that good prepared and it was very cold with freezing conditions.“

In Vienna Robert Chemosin had no luck with the weather again. Winds of up to 45 kilometres per hour made it tough for the elite runners. „I came here to run sub 2:08. But as soon as I was in the start area it was obvious that I had to give up chasing this time. It was impossible in this wind,“ said Robert Chemosin. „It will now be my next goal to run sub 2:08. I want to achieve this later this year.“ In the not too distant future the Kenyan, who is a training partner of Levy Matebo Omari, hopes to improve to 2:06. Omari, who has a personal best 2:05:16, also competed in the Vienna City Marathon. But being well behind he dropped out after a fall at 40 k.

Robert Chemosin had some success at shorter distances before he came to Vienna. He features a world-class personal best in the half marathon with 59:19, which indicates that there is much room for improvement in the marathon and that 2:06 should not be his last word. Last year Chemosin won the Rome Ostia Half Marathon with 59:37. However he rates Sunday’s triumph higher: „This is my biggest success so far, because I won the Vienna City Marathon. I would like to return to Vienna next year to defend my title,“ said Robert Chemosin. He could do with a little less wind on 23rd April 2017.